A Northwest Airlines pilot on trial with two crewmates on charges of flying while
intoxicated was an alcoholic who had 17 rum and Cokes the night before the flight, attorneys and witnesses say.The two other crew members shared seven pitchers of beer, a waitress said Tuesday, the opening day of their trial in federal court.
She said the captain, Norman Lyle Prouse, fell on the floor before leaving the bar.
The three had gone to the restaurant and bar to take the chill off their icy cockpit relationship, attorneys said. They had worked together less than a week.
William Mauzy, representing 1st Officer Robert Kirchner, said Kirchner played the peacemaker between Prouse and flight engineer Joseph Balzer. Prouse had been critical of Balzer's performance, Mauzy said.
Shortly before 4 p.m. on March 7, the three met for drinks, according to testimony. They flew the next day about 6 a.m. from Fargo, N.D., to Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Waitress Kathryn Litch testified that the bar poured about 17 rum and Diet Cokes for Prouse and seven pitchers of beer for Balzer and Kirchner. About half the beer in the last pitcher remained when Balzer and Kirchner left, she said.
Litch testified Kirchner and Balzer left about 10:30 p.m. Prouse left later, after falling on the floor, she said.
All three pilots had blood-alcohol levels higher than .04 percent, the FAA limit, according to test results admitted as evidence. Prouse had the highest reading, .131 percent.
The pilots were arrested when the plane landed in the Twin Cities by officials who had been tipped about their drinking. All three were fired, and the Federal Aviation Administration revoked their licenses.